BASEBALL: Bradley scores late to beat SIUE

PEORIA – Bradley scored twice in the bottom of the eighth inning Wednesday to break a 6-6 tie and the Braves went on to defeat SIUE 8-6 in nonconference baseball at Dozer Park.

The Cougars fell to 14-32. Bradley improved to 29-12.

Braydon Bone (1-2) allowed the runs in the eighth and suffered the loss. He worked 1 1/3 walked two and struck out two. Bradley reliever Bobby Johnson (3-1) earned the win. He also worked 1 1/3 innings.

The Braves led 6-2 going into the eighth inning, but SIUE worked its way back. The Cougars loaded the bases thanks to three consecutive walks to open the inning. With one out, Aaron Geocks drove home a run with a sacrifice fly to make it 6-3. With two outs, Aaron Jackson reached on an error, allowing Steven Pattan to score and the inning to continue to Mario Tursi. Tursi drove a base hit through the left side scoring two runs to tie the score.

The Braves had led from the beginning of the night, scoring a run in the first inning on a sacrifice fly. Designated hitter Eli Rawlinson hit a two-run home run in the second to make it 3-0 Bradley.

Goecks picked up an RBI on a bases-loaded walk in the fourth to make it 3-1. Jared McCunn made it 3-2 with an RBI on an infield hit to right side in the fifth inning.

Bradley scored four times in the bottom of the inning to push the lead to four runs. Brandon Dougherty added a two-run home run in the inning.

McCunn led SIUE at the plate. He was 3 for 4 with the RBI and two runs scored. Goecks and Tursi each finished with two RBIs.

For Bradley, Andrew Ivelia was 1 for 3 with three RBIs. Luke Mangieri was 3 for 3.

SIUE returns to Ohio Valley Conference play with a three-game weekend series at Eastern Illinois beginning Friday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.